Buenos Aires, Argentina – The U.S. Men’s U23 Team started the 2017 U23 America’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships Qualifier like a bolt of lightning by outscoring Brazil and Chile by a combined 160-69 in the first two days of the tournament. Up next for the squad comprised of collegiate student athletes is Argentina on Wednesday at 6:45 p.m. Central time. 

The United States opened the second day of competition against Chile, with five players putting up double digits for a convincing win, 96-31. Starting the scoring spree was University of Missouri’s Marshall Lindsay of Stansbury Park, Utah, who scored 8 of his 9 points in the first quarter. In the second quarter, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Kyle Gribble of Elmhurst, Illinois, started his scoring spree and finished with 23 points on the day. At the half, Team USA led, 50-7.

Brent Regier of Henderson, Nebraska, and a player at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, extended the American’s lead by putting up 10 of his 12 points in the third for an 80-18 lead. The tandem of University of Texas-Arlington’s Fabian Romo of Missouri City, Texas, and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s John Schwartz of Osceola, Indiana, combined for 24 points, scoring 12 each. Jeromie Meyer of Woodbine, Iowa, and from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, scored 11 points.

In the opening round of the tournament, Team USA squared off with Brazil, with Meyer leading the team with 18 points, followed by Gribble, putting back 15 points. Lindsay also contributed 13 points, as Team USA rolled to a 64-38 victory.

The United States must place in top two to qualify for the 2017 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championships, scheduled for Toronto, Canada, June 8-16.

U.S. Paralympic medalist Jeremy Lade of Whitewater, Wisconsin, is serving as the head coach of the Men’s U23 World Championships team, and it is his first coaching assignment for the United States. Also on the sidelines are assistant coaches Christian Burkett of Seattle, Washington, and Scott Meyer of Columbia, Missouri. Kelly Fischbach will serve as the Team Leader, with Mike Lenser of Whitewater, Wisconsin working at the athletic trainer.

The U23 men’s wheelchair basketball program is an international development team that serves as NWBA pipeline to the U.S. Men’s National Team. This program provides elite youth athletes the opportunity to compete at the international level. Team USA has reached the championship game in three of the last five U23 World Championships, having won in 2005 and 2009. The United States claimed a bronze medal in 2001, and did not participate in 2013. 

2017 America’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships Qualifier

Buenos Aires, Argentina

January 23-28

Results

USA def. Brazil, 64-38

USA def. Chile, 96-31

Schedule

January 25 Argentina vs. USA

January 26 USA vs. Brazil

January 27 Chile vs. USA

January 28 Argentina vs. USA